Baby Playpen Whose Enclosure Cloth Will Not Be Rubbed or Worn Out By The Posts

ABSTRACT

A playpen includes a support frame, an enclosure cloth, and a plurality of fixing bars. The support frame includes a plurality of support posts each provided with a mounting tube. Each of the fixing bars has a first end provided with a fixing column inserted into the mounting tube and a second portion provided with a connecting strip. Thus, the connecting strip of each of the fixing bars is secured on the enclosure cloth and protrudes outwardly from the mounting tube to separate the enclosure cloth from the mounting tube of each of the support posts so that the enclosure cloth will not directly contact with the mounting tube of each of the support posts to prevent the enclosure cloth from being rubbed or worn out due to a frequent frictional contact.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a playpen and, more particularly, to a baby playpen or cot for receiving a baby.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional baby playpen comprises a support frame and an enclosure cloth mounted on the support frame. The support frame includes four support posts for supporting the enclosure cloth. The enclosure cloth has four corners each provided with a mounting portion mounted on a respective one of the support posts of the support frame to attach the enclosure cloth to the support posts of the support frame. However, the mounting portions of the enclosure cloth directly contact the support posts of the support frame, so that when the enclosure cloth is mounted on or detached from the support frame, the mounting portions of the enclosure cloth are easily rubbed or worn by the support posts of the support frame due to a frequent frictional contact, thereby decreasing the lifetime of the enclosure cloth.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a playpen, comprising a support frame, an enclosure cloth mounted in and spaced from the support frame, and a plurality of fixing bars each mounted between the support frame and the enclosure cloth and each having a first portion connected with the support frame and a second portion connected with the enclosure cloth. The support frame includes a plurality of support posts for mounting a respective one of the fixing bars. Each of the support posts of the support frame has a sidewall provided with at least one mounting tube for mounting the respective fixing bar. The first portion of each of the fixing bars is provided with an elongate fixing column inserted into the mounting tube of the respective support post to attach each of the fixing bars to the mounting tube of the respective support post. The second portion of each of the fixing bars is provided with an elongate connecting strip connected with the enclosure cloth.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a baby playpen whose enclosure cloth will not be rubbed or worn out by the support posts.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a playpen, wherein the enclosure cloth is secured on the connecting strip of each of the fixing bars, and the connecting strip of each of the fixing bars protrudes outwardly from the opening of the mounting tube of the respective support post to separate the enclosure cloth from the mounting tube of each of the support posts so that the enclosure cloth will not directly contact with the mounting tube of each of the support posts to prevent the enclosure cloth from being rubbed or worn out due to a frequent frictional contact.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a playpen in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the playpen as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a locally enlarged view of the playpen as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top cross-sectional assembly view of the playpen as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a partially exploded perspective view of a playpen in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a top cross-sectional assembly view of the playpen as shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a playpen in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a support frame 1, an enclosure cloth 3 mounted in and spaced from the support frame 1, and a plurality of fixing bars 2 each mounted between the support frame 1 and the enclosure cloth 3 and each having a first portion connected with the support frame 1 and a second portion connected with the enclosure cloth 3.

The support frame 1 includes a plurality of support posts 11 for mounting a respective one of the fixing bars 2 and a plurality of fasteners 12 each abutting a respective one of the fixing bars 2 and each detachably locked onto a respective one of the support posts 11 to limit the respective fixing bar 2 on the respective support post 11 so as to prevent the respective fixing bar 2 from being removed from the respective support post 11.

Each of the support posts 11 of the support frame 1 has a sidewall provided with at least one mounting tube 111 for mounting the respective fixing bar 2. Each of the support posts 11 of the support frame 1 is an elongate hollow body and has an inner portion provided with a hollow space 110. The mounting tube 111 of each of the support posts 11 extends into and is located in the hollow space 110 of each of the support posts 11. The mounting tube 111 of each of the support posts 11 extends longitudinally through a whole length of each of the support posts 11. The mounting tube 111 of each of the support posts 11 has a side provided with an opening 112. The opening 112 of the mounting tube 111 of each of the support posts 11 extends longitudinally through a whole length of the mounting tube 111.

Each of the fixing bars 2 is mounted between a respective one of the support posts 11 of the support frame 1 and the enclosure cloth 3. The first portion of each of the fixing bars 2 is provided with an elongate fixing column 20 inserted into the mounting tube 111 of the respective support post 11 to attach each of the fixing bars 2 to the mounting tube 111 of the respective support post 11. The second portion of each of the fixing bars 2 is provided with an elongate connecting strip 21 connected with the enclosure cloth 3. The connecting strip 21 of each of the fixing bars 2 separates the enclosure cloth 3 from the mounting tube 111 of each of the support posts 11. The connecting strip 21 of each of the fixing bars 2 has a wedge-shaped profile. The connecting strip 21 of each of the fixing bars 2 extends from the fixing column 20 and has a size smaller than that of the fixing column 20. The connecting strip 21 of each of the fixing bars 2 extends through and protrudes outwardly from the opening 112 of the mounting tube 111 of the respective support post 11.

The enclosure cloth 3 is spaced from each of the support posts 11 of the support frame 1 and is spaced from the mounting tube 111 of each of the support posts 11 as shown in FIG. 4. The enclosure cloth 3 has a plurality of corners each provided with two connecting pieces 30 secured on the connecting strip 21 of a respective one of the fixing bars 2. The two connecting pieces 30 of the enclosure cloth 3 abut two opposite sides of the connecting strip 21 of the respective fixing bar 2 respectively so that the connecting strip 21 of the respective fixing bar 2 is sandwiched between the two connecting pieces 30 of the enclosure cloth 3. The two connecting pieces 30 of the enclosure cloth 3 are combined with the connecting strip 21 of the respective fixing bar 2 by at least one fastening string 32.

Accordingly, the enclosure cloth 3 is secured on the connecting strip 21 of each of the fixing bars 2, and the connecting strip 21 of each of the fixing bars 2 protrudes outwardly from the opening 112 of the mounting tube 111 of the respective support post 11 to separate the enclosure cloth 3 from the mounting tube 111 of each of the support posts 11 so that the enclosure cloth 3 will not directly contact with the mounting tube 111 of each of the support posts 11 to prevent the enclosure cloth 3 from being rubbed or worn out due to a frequent frictional contact.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, each of the support posts 11 has a sidewall provided with two spaced mounting tubes 111 for mounting the respective fixing bars 2.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention. 

1. A playpen, comprising: a support frame; an enclosure cloth mounted in and spaced from the support frame; a plurality of fixing bars each mounted between the support frame and the enclosure cloth and each having a first portion connected with the support frame and a second portion connected with the enclosure cloth.
 2. The playpen of claim 1, wherein the support frame includes a plurality of support posts for mounting a respective one of the fixing bars; each of the support posts of the support frame has a sidewall provided with at least one mounting tube for mounting the respective fixing bar; the first portion of each of the fixing bars is provided with an elongate fixing column inserted into the mounting tube of the respective support post to attach each of the fixing bars to the mounting tube of the respective support post; the second portion of each of the fixing bars is provided with an elongate connecting strip connected with the enclosure cloth.
 3. The playpen of claim 2, wherein the connecting strip of each of the fixing bars separates the enclosure cloth from the mounting tube of each of the support posts.
 4. The playpen of claim 1, wherein the support frame includes a plurality of support posts for mounting a respective one of the fixing bars; each of the support posts of the support frame has a sidewall provided with two spaced mounting tubes for mounting the respective fixing bar; the first portion of each of the fixing bars is provided with an elongate fixing column inserted into the respective mounting tube of the respective support post to attach each of the fixing bars to the respective mounting tube of the respective support post; the second portion of each of the fixing bars is provided with an elongate connecting strip connected with the enclosure cloth.
 5. The playpen of claim 2, wherein the enclosure cloth has a plurality of corners each provided with two connecting pieces secured on the connecting strip of a respective one of the fixing bars.
 6. The playpen of claim 5, wherein the two connecting pieces of the enclosure cloth abut two opposite sides of the connecting strip of the respective fixing bar respectively; the connecting strip of the respective fixing bar is sandwiched between the two connecting pieces of the enclosure cloth.
 7. The playpen of claim 6, wherein the two connecting pieces of the enclosure cloth are combined with the connecting strip of the respective fixing bar by at least one fastening string.
 8. The playpen of claim 2, wherein the mounting tube of each of the support posts has a side provided with an opening; the connecting strip of each of the fixing bars extends through and protrudes outwardly from the opening of the mounting tube of the respective support post.
 9. The playpen of claim 8, wherein the opening of the mounting tube of each of the support posts extends longitudinally through a whole length of the mounting tube.
 10. The playpen of claim 2, wherein each of the support posts of the support frame has an inner portion provided with a hollow space; the mounting tube of each of the support posts extends into and is located in the hollow space of each of the support posts.
 11. The playpen of claim 10, wherein each of the support posts of the support frame is an elongate hollow body.
 12. The playpen of claim 2, wherein the mounting tube of each of the support posts extends longitudinally through a whole length of each of the support posts.
 13. The playpen of claim 2, wherein each of the fixing bars is mounted between a respective one of the support posts of the support frame and the enclosure cloth.
 14. The playpen of claim 2, wherein the connecting strip of each of the fixing bars has a wedge-shaped profile.
 15. The playpen of claim 2, wherein the connecting strip of each of the fixing bars extends from the fixing column.
 16. The playpen of claim 2, wherein the connecting strip of each of the fixing bars has a size smaller than that of the fixing column.
 17. The playpen of claim 2, wherein the enclosure cloth is spaced from each of the support posts of the support frame.
 18. The playpen of claim 2, wherein the enclosure cloth is spaced from the mounting tube of each of the support posts.
 19. The playpen of claim 2, wherein the support frame further includes a plurality of fasteners each abutting a respective one of the fixing bars and each detachably locked onto a respective one of the support posts to limit the respective fixing bar on the respective support post so as to prevent the respective fixing bar from being removed from the respective support post. 